---
title: The Service Bureau
url: https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/17-the-service-bureau/
description: The Service Bureau, from Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information by George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information.
section: FRAME
---

![Illustration: an interwar radio-and-newsreel intelligence collage with a 1930s map of Europe and propaganda poster proofs.](https://propagandaarchive.org/static/generated/detail/hero-interwar.jpg)

[Library](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/) · Report · [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/)

# The Service Bureau

This text

- **Work:** [Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/)
- **Author:** George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information
- **Published:** 1920

Full details

- **Rights:** A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item.

Chapters

1. [Letter of Transmittal and General Survey](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/01-letter-of-transmittal-and-general-survey/)
2. Part I: The Domestic Section
3. [Work of the Domestic Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/02-work-of-the-domestic-section/)
4. [The Voluntary Censorship](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/03-the-voluntary-censorship/)
5. [Division of News](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/04-division-of-news/)
6. [Division of Civic and Educational Cooperation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/05-division-of-civic-and-educational-cooperation/)
7. [Division of Production and Distribution](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/06-division-of-production-and-distribution/)
8. [Four Minute Men](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/07-four-minute-men/)
9. [The Speaking Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/08-the-speaking-division/)
10. [The Division of Advertising](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/09-the-division-of-advertising/)
11. [Film Division](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/10-film-division/)
12. [Bureau of Distribution of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/11-bureau-of-distribution-of-the-division-of-films/)
13. [Educational Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/12-educational-department-of-the-division-of-films/)
14. [Scenario Department of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/13-scenario-department-of-the-division-of-films/)
15. [Bureau of War Expositions of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/14-bureau-of-war-expositions-of-the-division-of-fil/)
16. [Bureau of War Photographs of the Division of Films](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/15-bureau-of-war-photographs-of-the-division-of-fil/)
17. [Official U. S. Bulletin](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/16-official-u-s-bulletin/)
18. [The Service Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/17-the-service-bureau/)
19. [Division of Exhibit at State Fairs](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/18-division-of-exhibit-at-state-fairs/)
20. [Division of Syndicate Features](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/19-division-of-syndicate-features/)
21. [Division of Women’s War Work](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/20-division-of-women-s-war-work/)
22. [The Bureau of Cartoons](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/21-the-bureau-of-cartoons/)
23. [Division of Business Management](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/22-division-of-business-management/)
24. [Division of Work with the Foreign Born](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/23-division-of-work-with-the-foreign-born/)
25. [Showing America to the Foreign Press](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/24-showing-america-to-the-foreign-press/)
26. Part II: The Foreign Section
27. [Work of the Foreign Section](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/25-work-of-the-foreign-section/)
28. [Wireless and Cable Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/26-wireless-and-cable-service/)
29. [Foreign Press Bureau](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/27-foreign-press-bureau/)
30. [Foreign Film Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/28-foreign-film-activities/)
31. [Foreign Picture Service](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/29-foreign-picture-service/)
32. Reports from Foreign Commissioners
33. [Report on the Work in Mexico](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/30-report-on-the-work-in-mexico/)
34. [The Work in France](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/31-the-work-in-france/)
35. [The Work in Holland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/32-the-work-in-holland/)
36. [Work in Switzerland](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/33-work-in-switzerland/)
37. [Work in Italy](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/34-work-in-italy/)
38. [Work in Spain](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/35-work-in-spain/)
39. [Work in Denmark](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/36-work-in-denmark/)
40. [Work in Russia: General Introduction](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/37-work-in-russia-general-introduction/)
41. [Work in Russia: The Installation](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/38-work-in-russia-the-installation/)
42. [Work in Russia: Siberian Activities](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/39-work-in-russia-siberian-activities/)
43. [Work in Russia: Archangel](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/40-work-in-russia-archangel/)
44. [The Work in China](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/41-the-work-in-china/)
45. [Work in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/42-work-in-argentina-uruguay-and-paraguay/)
46. [Work in Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/43-work-in-peru-ecuador-and-bolivia/)
47. [Other Work in South America](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/44-other-work-in-south-america/)
48. [Work in Sweden and Norway](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/45-work-in-sweden-and-norway/)

[← Official U. S. Bulletin](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/16-official-u-s-bulletin/) [Division of Exhibit at State Fairs →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/18-division-of-exhibit-at-state-fairs/)

**Content note:** Quotes wartime anti-German language, including "Hun", and period terms for racial and national groups. This object is shown as it was published. [Why](https://propagandaarchive.org/about/#as-it-was)

During the early months of the war it became apparent that delay and confusion in the transactions of the public business resulted from lack of knowledge of the organization of the executive departments, of the distribution of the duties of each among its bureaus and divisions, of the personnel in charge, of the location of the many offices in which they were established, and of ready means of intercommunication. To minimize and avoid such delays and to facilitate the transactions of public business as much as possible, by directing persons to the offices which they were seeking, the Service Bureau was created on March 19, 1918, by the following Executive order of the President :

I hereby create under the direction of the Committee on Public Information, created by Executive order of April 14, 1917, a Service Bureau, for the purpose of establishing a central office in the city of Washington where complete information records may be available as to the function, location, and personnel of all Government agencies. I hereby ask the several departments of Government, when so requested by the chairman of the- Committee on Public Information, to detail such person or persons as may be necessary in gathering the information needed and carrying on the work of the bureau so far as it relates to such departments ; to give opportunity to the director of the bureau, or such person as he may designate, to secure information from time to time for the purpose of keeping the records up to date ; to supply the director of the bureau on form cards, furnished by him, With information as to personnel, function, and location.

WooDRow Wilson.

In April, it moved into permanent quarters at Fifteenth and G Streets, and on May 1 opened its doors to the public. During its existence the bureau answered 86,000 inquiries.

Appropriate advertising was distributed in all of the hotels of the city, and cards were placed on the information desks of the various departments and hotels and at the Union Station. In May, the information booths at the Union Station, conducted by the Ordnance and Quartermaster Bureaus of the War Department and Navy Department, were taken over. During September, when the Allied War Exposition was held in Chicago, a branch of the Service Bureau was established there, and the reports show that much information was given to the thousands of people who applied at the booth.

Records were compiled that showed :

(1) Complete organizations of the executive departments of the Government, in bureaus, divisions, committees, commissions, and all other subdivisions.

(2) The general character of the business or duties assigned to each subdivision,

(3) The names in full and titles, if any, of the persons in charge of such divisions, including chief clerks, with the room number, location of building, and telephone number in each case.

(4) Similar information covering the various councils, commissions, and other bodies not included under any Government department.

The sources for this information were official, and in most instances were furnished on the inclosed forms by heads of departments. As the changes in organization, personnel, or function occurred within the departments they were reported on the forms provided by the bureau. During the period of the greatest expansion of the Government these changes occurred at the rate of 300 to 500 daily.

In addition to this directory of the Government it was necessary to keep a personnel file of all persons engaged in any kind of war work in Washington, also the names, locations, functions, and officers of all charitable and relief organizations, or war agencies of any kind. The sources for this information were the daily press, city and telephone directories, and personal investigations bj?^ members of the staff of any new trail which opened.

The work of the bureau fell into two distinct sections : (1) The directory and information compiling division ; (2) the information dispensing service, which included handling the mail as well as the personal and telephone requests.

The directory was compiled by a group of 10 cataloguers and as many typists detailed to the bureau from the various Government departments. They worked out the directory along the plan outlined above, and it proved to be a practical and efficient arrangement.

The organization files were copied by two different Government departments who wanted them for their own offices, viz, the Central Bureau of Planning and Statistics, and the Information Division of The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department.

The chief sources for general information were the library, the files of the Official Bulletin, and our clippings from the daily press. The library consisted of a small collection of well-chosen reference books, the annual reports of all Government departments, and a large collection of pamphlets on subjects connected with the prosecution of the war, published by numerous patriotic and educational organizations, as well as by the Government.

Our most authoritative source of information was the Official Bulletin, which we carefully indexed. It proved invaluable in answering requests for information by letter. Many times we were able to furnish the exact and authoritative information by sending a copy of the Official Bulletin. Another valuable accumulation of information was in our clipping files. This was particularly helpful in answering questions of current interest.

The questions in the letters received covered every imaginable field of human thought and endeavor. In all cases in which we had the available information at hand, or, if it was of such a nature that it could be procured readily by telephone, we answered the letters direct. If the question was such that came well within the province of one of the Government departments, we referred the letter to that department, keeping a record of all -such references. In many instances when the request for information indicated that the writer was not seeking anything specific, we sent a selection of pamphlets, or a few numbers of the Official Bulletin.

It was at the information desks, however, where the bureau did its best and most telling work, and this includes the information desk which we established in the Union Station. The number of inquiries increased month by month, reaching a maximum in the month before the armistice was signed, during which time we answered 12,176 questions asked by 10,697 persons, and answered 2,773 letters.

Following is a list of the members of the staff who had charge of definite lines of work :

Director, Frederick W. McReynolds, from March 1, 1918, to February 1, 1919, when he resigned to become a special agent of the Bureau of Internal Revenue. He was succeeded by Martin A. Morrison, who was in charge of the bureau until March 12, when he was appointed as a Civil Service Commissioner by the President. Miss Mary E. Schick, office manager from the beginning, was then promoted to be director of the bureau.

Mr. Frank E. Hackett gave his services to the bureau during the first month of its activities, and together with Mr. Arthur J. Klein made the initial survey of all of the departments. Mr. Klein remained with the bureau until October 16, when he resigned and his place was taken by Mr. G. K. Richards, who served without compensation until April 1, 1919.

Miss Emily A. Spilman, assistant librarian, Department of Justice, supervised the compiling of the directory, being detailed to the bureau by her department for two months.

The Service Bureau was disbanded and the activities were distributed as follows on April 1, 1919 :

The files were taken over by the Division of Education and Information of the Department of Labor, the publications were sent to the Government Printing Office for distribution through regular Government channels, and the library was divided among the United States Military Academy at West Point, N. Y., the Historical Section, United States Navy Department, and the Army War College.

[← Official U. S. Bulletin](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/16-official-u-s-bulletin/) [Division of Exhibit at State Fairs →](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/18-division-of-exhibit-at-state-fairs/)

Complete Report of the Chairman of the Committee on Public Information, George Creel, Chairman, Committee on Public Information. A work of the United States government, printed by the Government Printing Office in 1920, so not protected by copyright in the United States (17 U.S.C. 105) and in the public domain by age as well. The Library of Congress states that it is unaware of any copyright restrictions on the item. [Provenance and rights](https://propagandaarchive.org/library/creel-cpi-complete-report-1920/).